Method and apparatus for cleaning the propulsion means of vehicles

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for removing debris from the propulsion system of a vehicle such as a battle tank, including a tank in which the vehicle is positioned, means for lifting the vehicle in the tank, and means to wash the vehicle&#39;s propulsion system while the vehicle is in raised position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus forwashing the wheels and other propulsion means of vehicles. Morespecifically, it relates to such apparatus and the methods they performfor removing mud and debris from the wheels and tires of heavy dutytrucks, battle tanks and like equipment to maintain the level of theirfunctionality.

2. Description of Prior Art

A series of patents that have issued in my name as inventor are probablyrepresentative of the prior art so far as it relates to washing thewheels and tires of vehicles. Most recently, U.S. Pat. No. 6,895,978issued on May 24, 2005 and is entitled, Apparatus for Washing VehicleTires and Wheels. That patent discloses a washing system in which, as iscommon to many of my inventions, an elongated tank is employed withramps at either or both ends by means of which the vehicle, often atruck, can enter and exit. In this patent a secondary tank is locatedparallel to and contiguous with the primary tank so that, at the washingstation of the primary tank where a liquid spray is directed against thevehicle wheels and tires, the debris from the vehicle can be washed fromthe primary to the secondary tank, from which it is ultimatelywithdrawn. In this manner the primary tank or trough is kept free ofdebris at the washing station.

Still another patent in my name is U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,201, issued May13, 2003, which discloses apparatus including an elongated trough thebottom of which is formed from angle irons at the washing station. Spraymeans are mounted within the angle iron to eject liquid against thewheels and tires of a vehicle as it passes over the angle irons. Alsogenerally relevant as background art are my U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,730,164,issued May 24, 1998, and 4,917,125, issued Apr. 17, 1990.

While the disclosures of these patents all serve their intended purpose,a problem may arise in the washing of the propulsion means ofspecialized types of vehicles. Thus, owing to the type and placement ofthe propulsion means, it may be difficult for a liquid spray to reachall areas of propulsion means that may carry mud and debris. Forexample, in a vehicle where the propulsion means are multiple, closelyspaced wheels, a forward wheels and its tire may block the flow of sprayto the closely adjacent, rearward wheel. Where it is a battle tank to bewashed, areas of the endless track or tread may well be almostinaccessible to a spray of liquid cleaning fluid.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to providean apparatus and associated method for washing the propulsion means of avehicle that will be particularly effective in accomplishing thatpurpose, particularly where the propulsion means is challenging insofaras washing it is concerned.

It is another object of my invention to provide such an apparatus andmethod that is particularly adapted to provide effective washing of thepropulsion means of a specialized vehicle, such as a battle tank orhalftrack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In its apparatus form my invention basically includes an elongated tankhaving the usual side walls and bottom, together with end walls which,when open, permit ingress and egress of a vehicle having propulsionmeans. At least at a washing station within the tank or trough, acleaning liquid is maintained in the form of a bath. Lifting means isprovided for moving the vehicle between a lowered position in which thepropulsion means is in contact with the bottom of the tank, and raisedposition in which the vehicle propulsion means is in a position aboveand out of contact with the bottom. Further, there is means for washingthe vehicle while its propulsion means is out of contact with the bottomof the tank or trough. As stated, such propulsion means can be wheels,tracks or treads, or a combination thereof. The washing means can be theliquid bath which reaches to the level of the propulsion means or aseries of spray heads that direct liquid at the propulsion means in itsraised position, and the propulsion means must be such as can beoperated while the vehicle is in raised position.

In the method form of the invention, the same apparatus, that is, anelongated trough with a bottom, side and end walls is provided. Thevehicle is moved into the trough past one of the end walls, and both endwalls are either in or moved to closed position. The vehicle is thenraised to a position in which its propulsion means is out-of-contactwith the trough bottom and washed in that position, after which it islowered and, with its propulsion means in contact with the troughbottom, driven out of the tank through either end thereof.

In one feature of my invention, a liquid bath of cleaning fluid islocated in the trough at the washing station. When the tank or othervehicle is raised while in the trough, it is only raised to a positionin which at least a portion of the propulsion means is still in contactwith the cleaning bath. In such suspended position the propulsion meansof the vehicle is actuated so that the wheels or track move to agitatethe bath and bring all portions of the propulsion means into contactwith the bath, thereby ensuring a thorough wash of that propulsionmeans. If desired, spray heads can also be utilized in conjunction withthe bath to make certain that a complete cleaning of the propulsionmeans is effected. When the vehicle in operation is an army battle tank,in this manner the entirety of the endless tread of the tank, with allof its linkages, will be brought into contact with the cleaning bathand, when such cleaning has been completed, the tank can be lowered to acontact position on the bottom of the elongated trough, the liquid bathdrained from the washing station of the trough, and the tank permittedegress past either of the now open end walls of the trough.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent when considered in conjunction witha detailed description of a preferred embodiment of my invention aswritten in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

The sole FIGURE, FIG. 1, illustrates the invention with a battle tank inposition in a trough ready to be raised to a position in which washingcan commence, one side wall of the trough having been removed for thepurpose of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, what is there illustrated is abattle tank, referenced by numeral 10, which conforms generally to theoutline of an Abrams tank that entered into service of the U.S. Army in1980. The Abrams tank is intended to destroy enemy forces on abattlefield using mobility, firepower and shock effect. The tank shownin FIG. 1 is characterized by a pivotable fire tower 11 carrying a gun12 of substantial fire power, and is propelled by an endless track ortread 13 trained about a series of wheels 14 that are aligned with axessubstantially parallel to the terrain over which the tank will travel.

Propulsion wheels 14 do not contact the ground or other base surface,but cause tread or track 13 to move in at least one substantiallyhorizontal, base or lower flight 13 a that does contact the basesurface. Base flight 13 a finds its counterpart in upper, horizontalflight 13 b, obscured in FIG. 1, which extends generally parallel to thebase flight. Guide wheels 14 a are used to train the track 13 to proceedfrom one flight to the other. Also seen in FIG. 1 is a shroud 16 thatserves to protect the tread 13 in its upper flight 13 b as that flightdoes not contact the base surface and thus performs no immediatefunction other than maintaining the track in position for its descentinto the base flight 13 a where it will serve to contact the basesurface and propel the tank over it.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the battle tank 10 is positioned within anelongated trough generally indicated by arrow 20. The trough or tank 20has side walls 21, of which only one is seen, end walls 22 and 23, and abottom 24. The end walls 22 and 23 are movable between open and closedpositions, as by the hinges 22 a and 23 a of the drawing. In such closedpositions they seal the cleaning station of the tank against the outflowof liquid from either end of the cleaning station at which the tank isshown as being located. Such liquid, indicated by reference numeral 29,may be introduced into the elongated tank or trough at the cleaningstation by conventional means, such as the supply pipes 24 and 25.Removal of the liquid from the tank cleaning station is accomplished bya drain, not shown, by suction, or by other conventional means.

An important feature of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1.Lifting means, such as a hydraulic lift, is provided at the cleaningstation of the trough, such means being diagrammatically indicated bystraps 26 and 27 that can move in unison upwardly or downwardly in thedirection of the arrows 26 a and 27 a. Attachment means in the form ofeye bolts 28 are formed integrally with the battle tank at four cornersthereof, and the lifting means, which is shown as metal strapsterminating downwardly in hooks 21, which fit into the eye bolts 28 andlift the battle tank up and down at the washing station between thetrough end walls 22 and 23. In such raised position the battle tank willhave its propulsion means placed into operation.

The apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 may be used to carry out theentirety of the method of my invention. In that method as set forth inthis preferred embodiment, first the tank, with accumulated grime anddebris, is driven into the elongated tank or trough 20 by a conventionalentrance ramp located at one end of the trough. The battle tank 13 usesits propulsion means to bring it to the cleaning station at which it isillustrated in FIG. 1. The end walls 22 and 23 of the trough 20 are thenclosed by pivoting on hinges 22 a and 23 a so that the cleaning stationis essentially water-tight. A cleaning fluid 29 is then either alreadypresent at least in part at the cleaning station or is introduced thoughsupply pipes 24 and 25 until the level of liquid at the cleaning stationhas reached a level such that the continuous track 13 is covered withfluid. As seen in FIG. 1, the level would be such that, at rest, thelevel approaches that of the shroud 16 of the tank 10 when the tank islocated at the bottom 24 of the trough 20.

After or even during the addition of cleaning fluid to the trough thebattle tank is raised by hydraulic means indicated diagrammatically bycables or straps 26 and 27 that terminate in hooks 29 that arereleasably inserted in eyebolts 28 integral with or firmly fixed to thebody of the battle tank. It will be obvious that in order to maintainthe tank in an upright, substantially horizontal position as it is beinglifted, there will be double the number of straps and eyebolts shown inFIG. 1, i.e., there will be eyebolts at all four corners of the body ofthe battle tank cooperating with straps terminating in hooks. With thetank in raised position in which its continuous tread or track 13, or atleast the lower flight 13 a thereof is immersed in the cleaning fluid,the propulsion means of the battle tank is actuated so that wheels 14rotate to impart motion to the tread 13. Of course, in raised positionthe track 13 does not propel the battle tank forward; that tankmaintains its position in the trough as the tread moves. However, bysuch motion all parts of the tread are brought into vigorous contactwith the cleaning fluid, as are the wheels 14. The washing effect is farsuperior to a simple wash by standing in water or being subjected tospraying.

Although not illustrated in detail, spray heads may be positioned at theside wall of the trough as well as at the bottom of the tank to directcleaning fluid at the battle tank while it is in a raised position inwhich the flights 13 a ands 13 b of the track are exposed, as are theshrouds 16. However, regardless of whether spraying is utilized toenhance the cleaning of the battle tank in raised position, it is therotation of the wheels 14 that give motion to the endless tread 13 thatcause the agitation that brings the fluid into contact with all portionsof the tread, thereby forcibly removing dirt, grime and debris that maybe entrapped between couplings of the track and between the track andthe shrouds that protect upper flights 13 b.

With regard to the cleaning fluid, itself, it is usually water, butdetergents and other cleaning agents may be added to the water shouldthe need arise. With respect to the vehicle that is being cleaned, aspresently contemplated that it is especially applicable to the washingof battle tanks or halftracks whose endless tread is particularlysubject to entraining debris, rocks and other foreign materials thatimpede the proper function of those parts if not removed. However, myinvention is also applicable to washing automobiles, trucks, and otherheavy duty vehicles that cannot be properly cleaned while theirpropulsion means is at rest.

Thus, it will be apparent to those of skill in this art that alterationsand modifications may be made in the specific, preferred embodimentillustrated and described hereinbefore without basically departing fromthe spirit of my invention. As to all such alterations andmodifications, it is desired that they be included within the purview ofthe invention, which is to be limited only by the scope, includingequivalents, of the following, appended claims.

1. A method for removing debris from and washing the propulsion means ofa vehicle, such propulsion means comprising wheels, tracks or treadsthat contact and move the vehicle over the ground, comprising: providingan elongated tank having spaced, opposed side walls, a bottom and endwalls, each of said end walls being movable between open positions inwhich said vehicle can access or exit said tank and closed positions inwhich said tank is substantially sealed with said vehicle maintainedwithin said tank, opening one of said end walls, moving said vehicleinto said tank past said one open end wall to a position in which saidvehicle propulsion means rests on said tank bottom and said vehicle issupported solely by said tank bottom, closing said one end wall, liftingsaid vehicle in said tank to a position in which the entirety of saidpropulsion means is out of contact with said tank bottom, washing saidpropulsion means while said vehicle is in said raised position, loweringsaid vehicle until said propulsion means is in contact with said tankbottom, and propelling said vehicle from said tank.
 2. A method asclaimed in claim 1, in which said propulsion means is washed in saidraised position by spraying fluid against said propulsion means.
 3. Amethod as claimed in claim 1, in which said propulsion means is washedin said raised position by at least partially immersing said propulsionmeans in a liquid bath located in said tank.
 4. A method for removingdebris from and washing the propulsion means of a vehicle, suchpropulsion means comprising wheels, tracks or treads that contact theground and rotate to move the vehicle over the ground, comprising:providing an elongated tank having spaced, opposed side walls, endwalls, and a bottom that meets said walls and forms an enclosure formaintaining a cleaning liquid therein, positioning a level of cleaningliquid within said tank, moving said vehicle into said tank until saidvehicle propulsion means rests on said tank bottom and said vehicle issupported solely by said tank bottom, positioning a level of cleaningliquid within said tank, lifting said vehicle in said tank to a positionin which the entirety of said propulsion means is out of contact withsaid tank bottom but at least a portion thereof is in contact with saidcleaning liquid, operating said propulsion means while said vehicle isin said raised position to effect cleaning of said propulsion means,discontinuing operation of said propulsion means, lowering said vehicleuntil said propulsion means contacts and is supported by the bottom ofsaid tank, and removing said vehicle from said tank.
 5. A method asclaimed in claim 4, in which said vehicle is driven into and out of saidtank by said propulsion means.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 4,including the additional step of spraying cleaning fluid at saidpropulsion means during the operation thereof in said tank.
 7. A methodas claimed in claim 4, in which said propulsion means includes anendless tread.
 8. A method as claimed in claim 7, in which said vehicleis an army battle tank.
 9. A method as claimed in claim 4, in whichcleaning liquid is drained from said tank immediately prior to removingsaid vehicle from said tank.